The right way to Maintain Restore Prices Low Whereas RVing Full-Time

June 11, 2025

Full-time RV residing will be an effective way to save cash. That stated, you do should go in with a plan if you need it to be a budget-friendly life-style. One facet of that plan must be a method to preserve restore prices low. It’s because RVs are actually not made for full-time use, that means there may be virtually at all times some form of concern that wants fixing.

We discovered early on that paying for somebody to come back in and repair each single drawback with our rig was going to interrupt the financial institution fairly shortly. That is once we developed a plan for holding restore prices low, even whereas residing in our RV full-time.

Keep Forward with Preventive Upkeep

The primary and perhaps most essential step? Staying on high of RV upkeep. In my expertise, that is the one finest method to scale back restore prices as a result of it prevents points earlier than they occur.

Try your RV homeowners guide for a complete checklist of upkeep duties, after which use a software akin to RV LIFE Upkeep to maintain monitor of these duties and after they must be executed so that you by no means miss one.

Some upkeep duties you may anticipate embrace:

Checking and altering engine oil
Inspecting roof seals and seams
Cleansing and lubricating slide-outs and awnings
Flushing water heaters and sustaining water methods
Testing battery voltage and topping off fluids
Testing and sustaining brakes

We additionally make a degree of inspecting our tires, brakes, and undercarriage earlier than each single transfer. This enables us to catch small issues early on earlier than they change into greater, costlier points.

Study Fundamental DIY Repairs

Studying to make our personal repairs is well the second most essential factor now we have executed to save cash on RV repairs. Labor is extraordinarily costly with regards to RV repairs, and leaving our RV within the store for weeks provides to the associated fee by requiring us to pay for resort rooms. Studying find out how to deal with minor fixes ourselves has simply saved us hundreds of {dollars} within the ten years we’ve been on the highway.

I’ve used YouTube to study virtually all the pieces I learn about fixing our RV. YouTube movies are often extraordinarily detailed, making it simple to comply with alongside. The issues I haven’t been capable of study from a video, I’ve realized with assist from fellow RVers. RVing persons are extraordinarily useful and most are blissful to leap in and provide a serving to hand.

In fact, you’ll want the correct instruments to make repairs. Maintain a toolbox with fundamental gadgets like screwdrivers, pliers, sealant, a multimeter, spare fuses, hose washers, and duct tape.

Have Backup Plans

Even if you happen to sustain with all upkeep and study to do all the essential repairs on the planet, there’ll virtually definitely come a time when your RV wants some form of main restore. Having plans in place for these repairs will show you how to really feel safer and can assist make sudden points rather less scary:

Prolonged warranties or service contracts might assist offset main restore prices—particularly for newer or extra complicated rigs. Learn the positive print and evaluate plans earlier than shopping for so you realize what you’re stepping into.
Emergency roadside help plans can cowl towing, lockouts, and flat tires. Choices like Coach-Internet and AAA RV are undoubtedly worthwhile. We’ve had Coach-Internet for years and it’s saved us on a number of events.
Clearly, good RV insurance coverage protection can be important to have in case of pure catastrophe or car accident. Be sure you select a plan that covers full-time RVers.
Lastly, there may be the choice of a financial savings account. We prefer to preserve an account particularly devoted to RV repairs. We contribute to it month-to-month in order that when restore prices come up, they don’t harm us financially.

You can choose and select from these concepts, after all, however I truly advocate combining all 4 to create a fool-proof security internet.

Be Tire Good

I discussed above that I take a look at tires each time we transfer the RV. It’s because tire blowouts are extraordinarily harmful and likewise very costly. Checking the tires helps loads, however there are different stuff you’ll need to do to scale back the chance of an especially costly and harmful tire blowout.

First, be sure to verify tire stress recurrently, particularly earlier than lengthy drives. Use a tire stress monitoring system (TPMS) to verify your tire stress stays the place it needs to be as you drive. It’s additionally essential to examine for cracking, put on, or dry rot earlier than journey and exchange tires each 5–7 years, even when they nonetheless look good.

Stopping one tire-related breakdown can save hundreds in roadside repairs and potential harm.

Cease Water Injury Earlier than it Begins

I discussed the significance of staying on high of RV upkeep earlier. Some of the essential RV upkeep duties to remain on high of? Sealing all seams. Actually, this job is so essential I feel it deserves its personal part. It’s because water is an RV’s worst enemy. Even a small leak may cause structural harm and mildew extra shortly than you may think, and water harm is extremely costly and troublesome to repair.

With a purpose to preserve water harm at bay, examine roof seams, skylights, and vents each 2–3 months and reseal as wanted. It’s additionally a good suggestion to make use of a water stress regulator when hooking as much as campground water sources to keep away from blown strains, and it’s best to recurrently verify beneath sinks and the underbelly for sluggish leaks or any indicators of moisture.

Belief me once I say the small sum of money and little bit of time required to forestall leaks is properly worthwhile.

Select Restore Techs Properly

Let’s say the necessity for an enormous restore crops up and also you’re going to should pay somebody to repair one thing. The place and the way you get your RV repaired issues. I extremely advocate avoiding dealership service facilities if in any respect attainable. These are usually extraordinarily overpriced and wait occasions will be ridiculous, particularly throughout spring and summer season.

As a substitute of service facilities, search for cellular RV techs and impartial outlets that can work on RVs. Constructing a community of fellow RVers by way of Fb teams and boards will will let you get referrals from people who’ve been in the identical boat as you.

Drive and Journey Smarter

You could not give it some thought a lot, however journey causes put on and tear to RVs, and the way you journey impacts how typically you want repairs. Make certain to keep away from overloading your RV since extra weight stresses tires, suspension, and brakes, and may trigger some critical damages. It’s additionally essential to drive conservatively. Not solely will this preserve you safer, however easy braking and gradual acceleration scale back put on on vital methods.

In fact, additionally, you will need to keep on with well-maintained roads when you possibly can to attenuate harm from tough terrain. This isn’t at all times attainable, however if in case you have the choice, select the smoother course.

There you’ve got it, all the pieces we do to maintain restore prices low whereas RVing full-time. Through the use of the following pointers, we’ve traveled hundreds upon hundreds of miles and have had only a few points with regards to masking the prices of RV repairs. I’m betting you’ll have related luck!